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Here Is How GST Will Impact Your Budget
The Goods and Services Tax (GST) rate will have four brackets - 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent.
Here is the points how it will affect your pocket and budget:
1. To keep inflation under check, essential items including food, which presently constitute roughly half of the consumer inflation basket, will be taxed at zero rate.
2. Some common use items like tea and spices are expected to be taxed at the lowest bracket of 5 per cent. Currently, the effective tax on these items is mostly higher than 5 per cent. The centre had earlier proposed a 6 per cent tax on these items and Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian said lowering it to 5 per cent should bring prices down without fear of inflation.
3. Most goods will be taxed at the standard rates - 12 per cent and 18 per cent. Tax experts said personal care items like shaving cream, toothpaste and soaps could be placed in the 12 per cent bracket. They are currently taxed at around 30 per cent. FMCG stocks rallied today with HUL and Colgate rising 2-4 per cent.
4. Some household electronics items and white goods could be under the 18 per cent tax slab, said Amit Bhagat, partner at PwC India. Currently, these are taxed at around 30 per cent.
5. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said yesterday that while some white goods items - he did not elaborate -would be taxed at the highest slab of 28 per cent, many such items are now used by the middle and lower income groups and so are likely to be taxed at 18 per cent rate.
6. Film tickets could get cheaper if the government puts them under the 18 per cent service tax slab assuming that film exhibition is a service, say tax experts. Currently entertainment tax rate on box office collections range between 24 per cent and 26 per cent, say experts.
7. The top bracket of 28 per cent will apply to luxury items, some of which, like luxury cars and aerated drinks, will also attract an additional cess. Such a cess will also apply to tobacco products, which are currently taxed at around 60 per cent. Shares of ITC, India's biggest cigarette maker, rallied 6 per cent today.
8. Experts said if small cars are included in the 18 per cent tax slab, prices could get cheaper. Currently tax rates on cars range around 28 per cent.
9. Mr Jaitley didn't elaborate which tax rate will apply to services, which contribute nearly 60 per cent to India's $2 trillion economy.


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Lots of people were bemoaning the Alcoa quarter last week, mostly because of the earnings miss. That was, alas, the totally wrong takeaway of the situation. What mattered is the inexorable and inevitable mix toward more value-added products couple with lower-cost aluminum. It's a two-fold process and it is going along well as the company is becoming relentless in its pursuit of becoming one of the world's lowest-cost producers.
Before the much-maligned Klaus Kleinfeld, it was one of the highest. Kleinfeld's making all of the tough moves, closing old smelters that had sentimental attachment to the previous management, always reminding us how non-business-like previous management was. When the we get even the slightest inflection, whether it comes from Ford's (F) decision to go lightweight or Europe having a tick up for more than a month in car registrations, then you are going to see a bottom line that will shock you. You just haven't seen an ounce of leverage yet for the model and that's because the lack of pickup in sales. But there's no doubt in my mind that every region in the world, save China, is doing better right now than six months ago and that means when inventories are finally worked off and new, lower-cost facilities are in place, the amount of money that will be made off of a slight increase in sales could be shocking.

domain: news


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14 November 2018: CollectPlus, the UK’s largest independent store-based delivery and returns service, has created a short film called A Coat Tale to highlight its partnership with Hands on London and their Wrap Up initiatives in London, Birmingham and Manchester which will once again be collecting unwanted coats and distributing them to a variety of causes across the UK for the homeless, elderly and others in need in the lead up to Christmas.
Directed by Nick Tree who has previously created content for brands including M&S, Harrods and Reiss, A Coat Tale is now live on YouTube. The short film encourages viewers to give their old coats a new lease of life by keeping someone warm this winter. It tells the emotional back-story of a coat donated to Wrap Up London, by following a woman who wears her coat during various key moments and milestones in her life with her partner; from their first date to a marriage proposal on Brighton beach. She then packages up her coat for Wrap Up London and donates it via CollectPlus. The film ends with the new owner putting on her (donated) coat at Divine Rescue in South London.
CollectPlus will be supporting Wrap up Manchester, Wrap up Birmingham and Wrap up London for the fourth year running by providing shipping labels which people can use to send their unwanted coats to the charity, from any of CollectPlus’ 7,000 Parcel Points across the UK. They simply need to visit the CollectPlus website, download and print out a label and attach it to their package before dropping it off at their local CollectPlus Point. CollectPlus has also donated 750 free labels, with each label allowing up to 10kg of coats to be sent in one go.
Commenting on the partnership, Catherine Woolfe, Marketing Director at CollectPlus, said: “We are extremely proud to be supporting this great cause for the fourth year in a row, helping to give everyone in the UK a chance to donate a coat to someone in need this winter. Our film ‘A Coat Tale’ highlights that spirit of giving and how easy it is to take something that you might not want or need and give it a whole new lease of life. By demonstrating how simple it is to donate using CollectPlus, we hope it will inspire even more people to support Wrap Up London, Birmingham and Manchester this year.”
Jon Meech, CEO of Hands on London, said: “CollectPlus’ powerful ‘A Coat Tale’ film demonstrates how easy it is to donate a coat, and how huge the impact can be. The simple donation of a spare or unwanted coat not only helps to keep a person warm, it can also help to save their life. With the number of people in the UK living in crisis on the rise and colder temperatures closing in, many vulnerable people are exposed to the elements. We are delighted to once again have the support of CollectPlus in our campaign to help Londoners who need it most.”
Watch CollectPlus’ new A Coat Tale film here and find out more information on how you can donate to Wrap Up London before November 23rd with CollectPlus here. Share your own ‘Coat Tales’ and spread the word on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using #WrapUpFamily.
For further information, please contact the CollectPlus team at the Red Consultancy:
Tel: 0207 025 6679
Drop and Collect Limited trading as CollectPlus is the UK’s largest independent store-based parcel delivery and returns service. It offers a simple and convenient way for people to collect online purchases from or return unwanted items to more than 400 high street and online retailers, including John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, New Look and ASOS – all at their local convenience store.
It is also possible to send parcels to any UK address from a CollectPlus store, making it a convenient option for those who sell products via online marketplaces such as eBay, as well as acting as a cheaper and convenient alternative parcel service for sending packages to friends and family.
Founded in 2009, CollectPlus was the first business to offer third party Click & Collect in the UK and now has a network of over 7,000 conveniently located parcel stores across the UK, nearly all of which are open early ‘til late seven days a week. 90% of the UK’s urban population live within a mile of a CollectPlus point and 89% within five miles in rural areas.
CollectPlus now handles in excess of 400,000 parcels a week and in September 2017 handled its 100 millionth parcel. CollectPlus has been ranked no.1 in YouGov’s BrandIndex Satisfaction survey in the UK parcel industry for 2017. Drop and Collect Limited trading as CollectPlus is a wholly owned subsidiary of independent parcel carrier, Yodel.
UK independent parcel carrier Yodel handles over 145 million parcels every year and has a relationship with 85 per cent of the UK’s top retailers. The company is headquartered in Hatfield and has over 60 locations across the UK, including three central sorts and over 50 service centres.
Yodel offers a range of services to meet the needs of its clients and their customers. Through Arrow XL, Yodel can also offer a two-man service for white goods and large items up to 120kg.
INSERT HANDS ON LONDON / WRAP UP LONDON BOILERPLATE
November 14th 2018 - by @CollectPlus


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Delta has unveiled its new digital services and experiences ecosystem, Delta Sync.
Delta Sync, which will be rolled out in 2023, delivers personalised and exclusive in-flight entertainment, onboard catering and partnerships with top consumer brands.
“Delta Sync elevates what it means to be a Delta SkyMiles Member by enabling a journey that fits you perfectly and grows more rewarding the more you travel,” said CEO Ed Bastian.
“The future of travel is one where your digital and physical experiences come together in a seamless, warm and personal way, making those human travel connections even more meaningful.”
To use Delta Sync, passengers should join SkyMiles for free to create a profile and book travel.
Powered by free Wi-Fi
Delta will offer fast, free Wi-Fi to all Delta SkyMiles Members on board most domestic mainline flights in partnership with T-Mobile from 1 February. Delta says it is the first US global carrier to offer availability of free Wi-Fi as a core element of its customer experience.
The free Wi-Fi is built on Delta’s loyalty programme and according to the carrier, in the coming months, Delta SkyMiles Members will find exclusive offers, access and entertainment on the Delta Sync Exclusives hub.


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The Love Dare continues to climb for the top of bestsellers lists since its release two months ago.
The book that began as a plot device for faith-based movie "Fireproof" is No. 2 on the New York Times' Top Paperback Advice list after eight weeks on the list and No. 1 on the list of CBA (The Association for Christian Retail) Best Sellers.
Before its release on Sept. 26, over 300,000 copies of the pro-marriage books were already sold and a third round of printing was underway.
"This is the fastest-selling book we've ever handled," reported John Thompson, vice president of marketing for the book's publisher, B&H Publishing Group, in an announcement.
"In America, the average book sells about 5,000 copies," he noted.
Before hitting the printers, the book was merely a plot device in the highly-anticipated movie "Fireproof," which has so far reaped over $30 million in ticket sales.
In "Fireproof," fireman Caleb Holt (played by Kirk Cameron) is asked by his father to take a 40-day marriage challenge before moving forward with divorce proceedings to end his seven-year marriage to wife Catherine (played by Erin Bethea). The "challenge" is presented in the form of a book, The Love Dare, which Holt agrees to read and which eventually transforms him and his view of love, marriage, and faith.
According to the movie's promoters, pre-screenings for "Fireproof" left audiences asking, "How can I get the book?"
In response, brothers and associate pastors Alex and Stephen Kendrick, who together directed and produced "Fireproof," made the effort to get it out.
"We shut out the world and wrote for several weeks," said Stephen Kendrick in a released statement. "We weren't expecting such demand so early."
The result was The Love Dare, a book that helps readers learn each day about a unique aspect of the nature of love and offers a "dare" to help implement that characteristic into their marriage.
"It's a plot device, it's a book, it's a marriage saver, it's a movement," commented B&H Publishing Group's Thompson.
The book's release comes as married couples have become a minority, with studies showing that 50 percent of people – regardless of religious affiliation – will be divorced at least once in their lifetime.
And, more recently, a poll by Gallup's 2008 Values and Beliefs survey earlier this year found that an alarming 70 percent of Americans now believe that divorce is "morally acceptable."
The latest figure – the highest on record – represents an 11 percent increase from just 7 years ago and a 3 percent increase from 2 years ago. The acceptability of divorce among Americans was ranked higher than all of the other 16 ethical issues surveyed – including the death penalty, gambling, pre-marital sex, homosexuality, abortion and medical research on animals.
It is for such reasons that pro-family groups have been rallying behind "Fireproof" and The Love Dare.
"Few things are more important to church and society than marriage and family life," explained Brad J. Waggoner, president and publisher of B&H Publishing Group, in a released statement.
"When the destruction of a broken marriage strikes close to home, people normally desire a remedy," he added. "The Love Dare is a great source of practical wisdom that will help marriages, whether just starting out or celebrating golden anniversaries."
Evidence of The Love Dare's impact is readily available at ShareTheLoveDare.com, where visitors create online journals to document their journey through the "love dare" process.
"I am on day 7 of falling back in love with my wife," writes "Gregg," who received a copy of the book from his father after he and his wife "Jennifer" filed for divorce, much like the characters in "Fireproof."
"This movie and this book have truly made an impact on how I see things and how I should see things," he wrote Monday.
"I hope that things will continue to progress towards a happily ever after," he said, noting that his divorce could be finalized as early as Dec. 22. "The first week was tough at times, but we are still sticking it out."
The Love Dare is currently selling for $14.99 a copy and will be released again next year as a special keepsake. The keepsake edition's release will coincide with the DVD release of "Fireproof" on Jan. 27, 2009. The Spanish edition, El Desafío del Amor, hits stores this Dec. 15.


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Cigarette maker British American Tobacco is pinning its hopes on vaping
Strike a light: British American Tobacco is now pushing vaping products
Cigarette maker British American Tobacco is hoping to push up the number of vaping products it sells as tobacco sales drop.
And the tobacco giant, which makes Lucky Strike and Dunhill, wants to double the number of countries where it sells vaping products.
Yesterday it announced a 9.8 per cent rise in profits, from £4.9million to £5.2million, with its takeover of Reynolds American due this year.
Kingsley Wheaton, head of next generation products, said: 'I think that as consumers move from tobacco products to vaping, that's a good thing for society as we figure out how to reduce the public health burden of tobacco.'
The company said its share of the vaping market in the UK was 40 per cent.
Bosses said it outperformed in cigarette sales, which fell 3 per cent across the industry but only 0.8 per cent at BAT.
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Telegraph Media Group and Picklive signed a partnership agreement
Fantasy sports and social gaming operator Picklive Limited has entered into a new partnership with the Telegraph Media Group as part of a move to strengthen the newspaper publisher's fantasy sports service.
Under the deal, the Telegraph will offer its fantasy sports players access to Picklive’s short-term fantasy sports and social gaming products.
“Picklive’s daily live games will offer 200,000 Telegraph Fantasy Football managers a fresh and exciting way to test their selection skills in an innovative social environment,” Telegraph Media Group’s interactive sports manager, Steve Stiles, said.
David Galan, Picklive’s chief executive officer, added: “Picklive has already enjoyed great success in the UK and this opportunity allows us to bring product innovation and the ‘social’ element into the fast growing short duration daily fantasy sports space to the Telegraph’s customers that compliments the existing season long games.” find more casinos games on this website


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Search Result For
Result(s) found: 24
Ralph Lauren to move to renewable electricity by 2025
Ralph Lauren will use renewable electricity to power all of its globally owned and operated offices, distribution centres and stores by 2025, and join RE100, a group of influential businesses committed to the use of renewable power.
Textile bodies appeal for status quo on energy policies in TN
Tamil Nadu textile industry that accounts for one-third of the textile business, 47 per cent of the spinning capacity providing direct jobs to over 60 lakh people especially to rural masses and women folk and fetching Rs 60,000 crore as forex earnings, is the worst affected in the country under the current unprecedented recession due to raw material / finished goods transport cost and several other factors.
Perfect finishing, thanks to Bruckner
When a vision becomes reality, CDL KNITS/TROPIC KNITS in Mauritius strike a new path in textile finishing. The TROPIC KNITS Group located in Mauritius is with 3,000 employees one of the biggest producers of high-quality fine knit garments in the Indian Ocean.
Make in India:Is it happening?
Make in India has been a major programme of our Prime Minister and rightfully so as we have truly lagged behind in the manufacturing sector. There have been many conferences, programme and discussions on the same ´ the press is always full of mention of Make in India. We ourselves are a manufacturer who sell domestically and also export across the globe.
BRUCKNER introduces new energy management tool
A company that specialises in manufacturing machines for finishing textile and film webs, BRÜCKNER Trockentechnik GmbH & Co. KG intends to introduce assistance systems for plant operators onto the market. The family-owned company, an active member of the VDMA, expects the tools to unlock energy savings and free up 30 percent of the reserve capacity in German-manufactured systems.
e-fabrics detect noxious gases
The researchers from the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute and Konkuk University in the Republic of Korea, coated cotton and polyester yarn with a nanoglue called bovine serum albumin (BSA). The yarns were then wrapped in graphene oxide sheets.
$64 bn export by 2017 | An Uphill Task?
Severe competition on global level and lack of initiatives and direction on the domestic front have made a dent in India´s textile exports with a dip in figures for FY 2014-15, diminishing the scope of achieving the cherished goals. S Joseph & M Karthik take an overall look at the scene.
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Samsung Electronics America’s chief marketing officer, Marc Mathieu, is leaving the brand after nearly four years.
“Marc has left Samsung Electronics America to pursue opportunities outside of the company. Marc was a valued leader who made significant contributions during his tenure at Samsung. We thank him for his time and efforts and wish him the best in his future endeavors,” a spokesperson for the brand said in a statement.
Mathieu later confirmed the news.
“I am moving on to the next chapter in my career. Samsung has truly unlocked the power of technology for me and taught me how it can enhance peoples’ daily lives and the greater good of humanity. I have been privileged to lead a talented team of marketers, which has led to incredible brand growth during my tenure at the company,” he said in an emailed statement.
Mathieu is credited with helping Samsung pull itself out the 2017 PR nightmare when Galaxy Note 7 smartphones phone batteries exploded and the phones were spontaneously catching fire. He went on to help the brand successfully launch the Galaxy S8 and S8+ with an ambitious marketing campaign created in partnership with R/GA, Turner Duckworth, Leo Burnett and Wieden + Kennedy.
“There are certain things we probably wouldn’t have done over the last three to four months if we didn’t have the bump in the road last year. It forces you to develop a new muscle and to react in a way where on one hand, you need to rebuild confidence, but you also need to be very humble, very human,” Mathieu told Adweek when the brand was preparing to launch its campaign for the Galaxy S8 and S8+.
Adweek named Mathieu one of most tech-savvy CMOs in 2018, largely for his efforts in reviving the brand post-Galaxy Note 7 fiasco. In 2016, Samsung was named the Cannes Lions Marketer of the Year after walking away with 27 awards in 2015 for several campaigns, including the Samsung Safety Truck.
Prior to Samsung, Mathieu spent 13 years at Danone followed by 12 years at Coca-Cola and a four-year stint as svp of marketing at Unilever.


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Skype brings ads into Internet calling
Skype began showing callers on-screen ads while they use the globally popular free Internet telephone service. The 'Conversation Ads' appear in calling windows of users who don't pay for subscriptions or have credits in accounts at the service.
Skype on Wednesday began showing callers on-screen ads while they use the globally popular free Internet telephone service.
What Skype euphemistically referred to as Conversation Ads appear in calling windows of users who don't pay for subscriptions or have credits in accounts at the service.
'We're excited to introduce Conversation Ads as an opportunity for marketers to reach our hundreds of millions of connected users,' Sandhya Venkatachalam said in a post at the official Skype blog.
'While on a 1:1 audio call, users will see content that could spark additional topics of conversation that are relevant to Skype users and highlight unique and local brand experiences.'
The silent conversation ads are available to marketers where ever Skype is available and will be shown during free Skype-to-Skype calls on computer's powered by Microsoft's Windows software, according to Venkatachalam.
Microsoft's Skype Internet telephone service hopes to quadruple the number of users to get to one billion, division president Tony Bates said two weeks ago at a prestigious All Things Digital conference in California.
Bates, who heads the unit that was acquired by Microsoft last year but operates autonomously, said growth will come from mobile users and from partnerships like the one Skype has with Facebook.
He cited Facebook as a key to growth for Skype, which now has 250 million users.
He said Skype can use the reach of Microsoft, the world's biggest software firm, to expand its presence, but without limiting itself to the Windows platform.
Skype users can make low-cost or free phone calls over the Internet using their computers or smartphones. Skype bypasses the standard telephone network by channeling voice and video calls over the Web.
Follow HT Tech for the latest tech news and reviews , also keep up with us on Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.


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After rumors about an upcoming Spyro trilogy remaster, Activision has hinted at more remasters coming along the way, and even this year, from its popular older IPs portfolio. The move comes after the much successful Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy launch on PS4, which should be followed soon by ports at least on Nintendo Switch and PC.
In a passage of its annual investor report, the publisher briefly mentioned that its intention is to offer more “releases of remastered versions of titles from our library of IP.” While it’s not mentioning anything specific, it clearly looks like it’s a reference to the much-hyped Spyro rumor.
You might remember that, according to multiple Kotaku UK sources, a Spyro trilogy remastered is said to be in development at Vicarious Visions, the same developer of the Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. Additionally, Insomniac Games has clarified that making a Spyro Trilogy Remastered is in the hands of Activision, and it won’t be possible for them to develop it.
That’s up to Activision, and like Naughty Dog didn’t do the Crash port, we probably wouldn’t do Soyro ourselves
— Insomniac Games (@insomniacgames) July 9, 2017
Based on those sources, the announcement should come as early as this march, with a release in time for September, in the likes of the Crash trilogy. It would feature the first three chapter in the long-running series and would serve as a celebration of the 20th anniversary at least for one year exclusive to PS4.


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- Alibaba’s full-year profits soared 193%
- Total sales increased 33%
- Fourth quarter sales up 29%
Alibaba’s full-year profits nearly tripled as the etailer delivered a strong fourth quarter driven by rocketing mobile sales.
The Chinese etail giant has reported a 193% increase in its profits to 71.28bn yuan (£7.5bn) for the year to March 31.
Total sales rose a third to 101.1bn yuan (£10.7bn), driven by a 182% rise in mobile sales to 50.3bn yuan (£5.3bn) and accounting for nearly half of the online retailer’s overall sales.
Chief executive Daniel Zhang said: “Alibaba Group finished the fiscal year on a very strong note.
“Our focus on long-term strategic priorities – globalisation, rural expansion, building a world-class cloud computing business and creating a comprehensive media and entertainment platform – has laid a strong foundation for future growth.”
Alibaba hired Amee Chande, who has previously worked for retailers including Walmart, Tesco and Staples, to head up its UK operation last September, which is positioning itself as the gateway to China for big UK retailers.
The etail powerhouse delivered particularly strong growth in its fourth quarter, with total sales climbing 39% to £24.1bn yuan (£2.5bn) and mobile revenue up 149% to 13bn yuan (£1.3bn).
Chief financial officer Maggie Wu said this rise in sales “was the highest revenue growth of the past four quarters” and demonstrated “the resiliency and growing clout of Chinese consumers”.
Conlumino chief executive Neil Saunders said: “As successful as Alibaba is in China, it has found international more challenging.
“However, the group is now taking a more selective approach to expansion, focusing on embryonic or underdeveloped ecommerce markets where its expertise can drive growth.
“Despite its dominance in China, growth prospects remain good – especially as it grows its content and entertainment business, and expands into services like cloud computing.”


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- Tram Ho
According to Forbes, in the list of the 5 richest people in mainland China 2020, there are 3 billionaires in technology. They are Jack Ma – the founder of Alibaba with total assets of 40.6 billion USD, Pony Ma – the chairman of Tencent’s CEO 46.9 billion USD and Colin Huang – founder of e-commerce startup Pinduoduo 23.6 billion. USD. The number of billionaire’s assets is calculated as of May 2, 2020.
In the past week, China continued to record a new billionaire in the field of technology.
China has more new billionaires during the pandemic. (Image: Bloomberg)
According to Forbes, Tan Guanghua (35), president of Hangzhou Raycloud Technology Company, backed by Alibaba, officially joined the billionaire group when the company was listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Hai on April 29.
Ending the session on 30/4, Tan Guanghua owns 49% stake of Raycloud worth 1.2 billion USD. Alibaba indirectly owns a 4% stake. Raycloud specializes in developing and selling software products, providing solutions to improve the efficiency of business management. Currently, the company is mainly engaged in e-commerce software marketing, data analysis and other products.
China has the second largest number of billionaires in the world, after the US. Tan Guanghua was the third person to become a billionaire in less than two weeks in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused great damage to the country’s economy.
Earlier, on April 17, Mr. Luo Yangyong – Chairman of ichuan Anning Iron & Titanium, also became a billionaire. The mining company’s share price rose 44% when it went to Shenzhen, raising Mr. Huang’s personal wealth to $ 1.7 billion.
On April 27, Forbes reported, businessman Huang Shan – Chairman of Shenzhen Fortune Trend Technology, became a new Chinese billionaire with a net worth of 1.3 billion USD.
Source : Genk


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A lot of confusing action is taking place where the Bitcoin Cash price is concerned. Although its actual decline in value is quite obvious for everyone to see, the real price of BCH is not necessarily what people can see on Coinmarketcap. This is primarily because numerous exchanges treat BCHABC as Bitcoin Cash already despite nothing being decided in terms of which chain will be the longest.
Depending on where traders look at, the price of Bitcoin Cash will be either close to the $400 level or down to $250-ish. That is quite a large gap between prices, yet one that is also very easy to explain. Bitcoin Cash, as people knew it before the fork, no longer exists. Most professional exchanges have also retired this price ticker, for the time being. As the hash war rages on, there are still a lot of unknown factors waiting to be addressed.


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"The government will invest more than ₹11,000 crore via the National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm to provide farmers everything possible, including better seeds and technology," Modi said on Twitter.
"When India is emerging as a major exporter of farm goods, we should not depend on imports for our edible oil requirements," Modi said.
The prime minister also transferred over ₹19,500 crore to over 9.75 crore farmers under the government's flagship PM-Kisan scheme.
On the occasion, Modi said while India has become self-sufficient or Aatamnirbhar in the production of rice, wheat and sugar, but it was not enough as the country is dependent on huge imports of edible oils.
Modi stressed India must become self-reliant in edible oil too as he announced NMEO-OP.
The prime minister said the government will ensure that farmers get all facilities, from quality seeds to technology to promote farming to produce palm oil and other oil seeds.
He said north-eastern states and Andaman and Nicobar Islands could be promoted for palm farming.
India produces less than half of the roughly 2.4 crore tonnes of edible oil that it consumes annually. It imports the rest, buying palm oil from Indonesia and Malaysia, soyoil from Brazil and Argentina, and sunflower oil, mainly from Russia and Ukraine.
The country does export agricultural commodities such as sugar and rice on the world market, but domestic oilseed production is nearly six times lower than rice and wheat on average.
India's vegetable oil imports have surged to 1.5 crore tonnes from 40 lakh only two decades ago, according to traders and industry officials. They said imports could reach 20 million by 2030, boosted by a growing population with higher incomes and a taste for calorie-laden curry and fried food.
With inputs from agencies.
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The latest version of Apple's mobile operating system, iOS 10, will be available for users to download from 13 September. The operating system will be available for users of the iPhone 5 and upwards three...
Facebook SDK enables users to login to their apps through a Facebook account
Conspiracy theorists are misinterpreting the scientific evidence, pick'n'mixing to arrive at their desired conclusion with disastrous consequences for emergency services
Social media platforms asked to take much swifter action against fake 5G coronavirus conspiracy theory
The spread of such fake theories has resulted in destruction of mobile phone masts in many cities in Britain


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So according to reports it looks like Apple may be looking to replace the Gorilla Glass on its devices with Sapphire. At the moment Sapphire glass is 10-30 times more expensive than Gorilla Glass from Corning, however, it appears that Apple has invested heavily in the development of the production process of Sapphire glass (which is already used for the home button on the iPhone 5s).
Apple has made a deal with the manufacturer, GT Advanced Technologies, and together with a Solar Panel Company Apple acquired to access its Ion Particle Accelerator technology, it will be able to manufacture the thin slices of sapphire at a much lower price. This may mean that before long the entire screens of our devices will be super hard waring.
Personally, I look forward to the day that I don’t have to apply one of those awful bubble blighted screen protectors.


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Cairo, 22 October 2018, In a ceremony attended by senior executives from Nissan Motor Egypt and Auto Egypt, the opening of the latest service center for Nissan’s authorized dealer “Auto Egypt” took place in Nasr City, Northern Cairo. The branch is a 2S facility which includes an after sales services center and a spare parts outlet.
The new service center is part of Nissan’s strategy to expand its network in Egypt, reaching to customers across the country. To date, Nissan has 47 branches in Egypt, including 25 for after-sales centers. The opening ceremony was attended by Kohei Maeda, Chairman of NMEG, and Mohamed El Kasrawy, Chairman and Managing director of Kasrawy Group, in addition to several senior executives from both companies.
Equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and encompassing an area of 1600m2, divided to two floors. The first floor includes maintenance, mechanical works and customers reception, the second holds a hall for customers and an entertainment area with PlayStation, along with a kids area, making their wait more enjoyable and relaxing. Also a VIP lounge for businessmen who would use the time to finish some work, all with Wi-Fi access.
The new service center now serves 50 cars daily as an initial phase to be followed by a second one, which will operate extra shifts to serve 100 customer daily.
Auto Egypt currently runs six service centers and has been one of the most important partners of Nissan in providing high quality services in the Egyptian market since 2005. Auto Egypt collected numerous awards including five awards as one of Nissan’s top dealers in the world in terms of sales performance, customer satisfaction and aftersales service making Nissan Auto Egypt the only authorized dealer to win this award for five consecutive years from 2012 to 2016.
Maeda stressed the importance of Nissan’s dealers network, which is the main key to increase Nissan’s investments in Egypt, and the importance of continuing to offer unique experiences to satisfy our clients. “Today we celebrate another success story, owning a strong dealers’ network is Nissan’s most important pillar of success” said Maeda.
Nissan’s cars are always equipped with latest tech, satisfying its customers’ needs, investment plan of the brand to expand its network to serve all customers all over Egypt.


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Author warns against complacency over diamond ethics
LONDON, November 14, 2010 – “Diamonds” author Marijan Dundek has appealed for stringent efforts to ensure the ethical production of diamonds, in light of concerns over conditions in the mines in the Marange region of Zimbabwe.
“The diamond industry cannot afford to become complacent, and must continue to make progress in ensuring that every single diamond is ethically produced,” Dundek said in a talk on “The Magical World of Diamonds”, which took place in the Hatton Garden diamond jewellery district on November 9.
The Kimberley Process certification scheme was launched by the United Nations in 2003 to prevent diamond sales being used to finance conflict.
“The agreement has been very successful in tackling the problem of ‘blood diamonds’. However, recently the Kimberley Process has been criticized for failing to tackle other human rights violations, mainly in the mines in Zimbabwe,” Dundek said.
“Calls for the reform of the scheme are becoming more urgent.”
A meeting of the KP, which took place in Israel from November 1-4, 2010, was not able to reach an agreement regarding the export of diamonds originated in Marange.
Differing views among participants prevented the plenary from reaching a consensus-based conclusion as to whether Zimbabwe had in fact implemented the minimum KP standards in the diamond fields of Marange.
Dundek said, “It is the duty of every one of us in the diamond trade to promote good practice and ethical business standards.”
Dundek’s book “Diamonds”, written in clear, concise language, with full colour illustrations, aims to help the reader acquire a basic knowledge of diamonds and an understanding of the main factors that determine their quality and value.
“Diamonds” is aimed at professional jewellers and gemmologists, valuers and auctioneers, students and teachers of gemmology, prospective buyers of diamonds, or simply those interested in learning more about this most prized of gemstones.


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Sunil Mittal, chairman of telecom service provider Bharti Airtel, says that the rates of mobile services are not logical right now. He said that it is difficult to stay in the market at the current rates, hence the hike in rates is inevitable. He said that market conditions would be looked into before taking any decision in this regard. Mittal said these things in an interview to PTI-language.
Read also: Reliance Jio’s cheapest prepaid plan of Rs 129, 28 days validity will be available with these benefits
Asked whether China’s telecom equipment manufacturers would be allowed to participate in the next generation 5G network, Mittal said that the big question is the country’s decision. Whatever decision the country takes, everyone will accept it. He said, as far as the rates of telecom services are concerned, the company (Airtel) has made its stand clear about this. Airtel strongly believes that the rates should be increased.
Current rates not sustainable
Mittal said, “The current rates are not sustainable, but Airtel cannot take initiative on its own without taking the market or taking regulatory steps.” Industry will need to raise rates at one time. We have to look at the market conditions while doing so. Mittal was asked that what time seems inevitable for raising the rates of telecom services in the Indian market and will Airtel take the initiative in this direction or wait for the competitors to take steps?
Tragedy giving 16 GB data for 60 rupees a month
It is noteworthy that Mittal had made a comment about this in August this year. It is a tragedy to give 16 GB of data for a month at 160 rupees. The company says that for sustainable business, the average revenue per customer should first reach Rs 200 and gradually increase to Rs 300. Bharti Airtel’s average revenue per customer (ARPU) stood at Rs 162 in the September quarter. This revenue was earlier Rs 128 in the June 2020 quarter and Rs 157 in the June 2019 quarter. Mittal once again reiterated the high tax rates and high tariffs in the telecom sector. He said that the telecom sector is an area requiring more capital investment. This requires constant investment in networks, spectrum, towers and technology.


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After announcing an impressive list of grub-hubs to its tenant roster, the massive sprawl of retail known as the Long Beach Exchange—dubbed “LBX” among its patrons and owners—has announced that luxury athletic wear purveyor Lululemon and sweets empire SusieCakes will be opening spaces at the center.
The 26-acre development near Douglas Park has officially opened its 266,000 square-feet of retail space to the public and has already brought a plethora of tenants with it, including In-N-Out, a trio of fitness spaces (which explains Lululemon), and tons of big box stores like Nordstrom Rack and Ulta.
“Our goal is to thoughtfully curate a unique and balanced mix of retailers, restaurants and entertainment at Long Beach Exchange,” Steve Thorp, executive vice president of Burnham-Ward, stated. “The addition of SusieCakes and Lululemon to LBX reflects the excitement for this destination among both tenants and the community.”
SusieCakes, overseen by L.A.-by-way-of-Chicago baker Susan Sarich, has become a small business phenomenon. Having just celebrated its 12th anniversary two days ago with its flagship shop in Brentwood, SusieCakes now operates over 20 bakeries in California and Texas.
Lululemon is a business phenomenon of another sort—meaning they have managed to build an empire out of selling $118 Wunder Unders, the brand’s moniker for workout tights, along with an array of other pricey workout clothes. The company is one of the first brands to take on the “enclothed cognition” idea; mainly that what we wear affects the way we behave. And to an extent, it has science to back this up: a 2012 research study that coined the term answered with a firm “yes” that, indeed, what we wear affects how we behave. With Lululemon, the idea is that splurging on activewear will increase active behavior—though that direct correlation has yet to be proven with Lululemon specifically.
The LBX complex started off with a bang after it announced that speciality coffee powerhouse Portola Coffee’s first location outside Orange County (and overshadowing the fact that L.A. staple coffeehouse Groundwork has already opened up shop in the complex).
Following that, the retail complex announced it would host seven more tenants in addition to its roster that already includes Whole Foods’ 365 grocery store, Orchard Supply Hardware, Mod Pizza, Dunkin’ Donuts, TJ Maxx, PetSmart, and three fitness studios.
Long Beach Exchange is located 4069 Lakewood Blvd.


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Urban Outfitters recently acquired most of the restaurants from Philadelphia titan Marc Vetri and his partner Jeff Benjamin. As part of their partnership, the James Beard Award-wining chef and his team will develop new restaurants for the retail giant, including new locations of their casual hit Pizzeria Vetri. An early phase of the Vetri/Urban Outfitters integration is now underway at UO Cafe, the five-month-old take-away restaurant inside the Herald Square outpost of the store. Earlier this week, Vetri was meeting with the team at the cafe and getting up to speed with their operations. Soon, members of his Philadelphia team will get folded into the mix here too. Vetri explains his involvement with UO Cafe:
They basically said, "Go look at it and do whatever you want with it." But we've just got to figure it out. There are no immediate things yet. Right now it runs amazing and the numbers are amazing. But yeah, it's also a space in Manhattan in Herald Square that could be an awesome place to do something fun....Urban is very supportive. They're like, "Listen you're the food guy, do what you want."
The chef also notes that he's got to decide to "leave it like it is and fine tune it a little bit, or stick something else in here." Vetri and his crew operate six major restaurants in Philadelphia, and they recently opened a Pizzeria Vetri inside an Urban Outfitters concept store in Austin. Marc worked in some big New York City kitchens in the late 90s, including Bella Blue and Coco Pazzo Teatro. The chef remarks: "I'd love to potentially do, like, a pizzeria here. That's a goal of mine for sure, but we'll see where and when we can make that happen." But don't expect a pizzeria inside the Herald Square space. "I don't think we can fit an oven in here," Vetri explains.


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The “super penthouse” takes up the top three floors of the tallest building in the financial hub
Sheikh Fahad M.S. Al Athel is converting the intricately detailed property into a trio of high-end apartments
The apartment last fetched $50.9 million, making it the priciest ever sold in downtown Manhattan. Authorities claim it was purchased with money illegally siphoned from a Malaysian state fund.
Argentina-style parillas costing thousands of dollars are finding their way into the backyards of Americans, creating luxury grilling-and-chilling settings


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ROCKETHOME wins Technology Fast 50 Award - fastest growing companies in Germany
We are proud to announce that ROCKETHOME is winner of the Technology Fast 50 Award for the second year in a row. The ranking is based on percentage revenue growth over the last four years which we owe to our constantly developing technology. Since ROCKETHOME was founded in 2010 the company generated a continuous and sustainable growth. We are happy that ROCKETHOME belongs to the most innovative technology companies in Germany and want to expand our position. With focus on individual Smart Home and Smart Energy solutions ROCKETHOME convinced already renowned customers from the energy sector, telecommunications industry and retail in Europe.
We owe this achievement to our dedicated team who promotes the development of our technology platform day after day. In this regard we are looking forward to the future!


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Detroit Auto Show: Cadillac unveils ELR plug-in hybrid
You’d think that after launching an American icon -- the 2014 Corvette -- and its best-selling U.S. vehicles in the country -- the Chevy and GMC trucks -- that General Motors would call it day.
But the company launched another important model on Tuesday at the Detroit Auto Show: the ELR, a sleek luxury coupe based on the Chevrolet Volt.
Cadillac designed the car with Southern California in mind. In an interview ahead of Tuesday’s announcement, Bob Ferguson, vice president of global Cadillac, said the ELR could help the automaker gain ground in the country’s largest luxury car market.
“In many ways we’ve struggled on the coasts,” Ferguson said. “I see that this car will refresh consideration among Californians.”
The ELR launch follows the company’s new ATS sedan, a rear-wheel-drive competitor to the BMW 3-Series.
“The ATS has really moved us forward,” Ferguson said. “This vehicle will build on that momentum and get us back into the luxury conversation. We need to be there, especially with California consumers.”
Cadillac ELR uses the same plug-in hybrid drivetrain as the Chevy Volt, but the 1.4-liter four cylinder is paired with a stronger electric motor. Total horsepower jumps from 149 in the Volt to 207 in the ELR, while torque rises from 273 to 295.
The ELR will travel up to 35 miles on electric power only, with a total range of more than 300 miles. The company has not yet released fuel economy ratings but did say the ELR would qualify to drive in California’s carpool lanes. Such eligibility matters: Volt sales jumped 205% in 2012 after Chevy released a version that qualified.
Like the Volt, the ELR is front-wheel-drive and has a single-speed transmission. But the ELR adds paddles mounted to the steering wheel. Rather than shifting the transmission’s gears, the paddles increase the amount of resistance the regenerative brakes provide, effectively slowing the car without using the brake.
The effect is similar to a downshift as the car approaches a turn, and Cadillac says this is one of several features designed to give the plug-in hybrid a sporty character. Others include a revised suspension, with a driver-selectable Sport mode, and 20-inch wheels.
That character is also evident in the ELR’s progressive body styling. The coupe carries the shape and many styling cues from the Converj concept Cadillac displayed at the 2009 Detroit auto show. A large chrome grille similar to that on the XTS sedan hides active shutters to reduce drag, while vertical headlights angle up the ELR’s front quarter panels.
Inside, the coupe is a 2+2 configuration, with two small seats positioned behind the two front seats. Cadillac’s much-maligned CUE touch-screen infotainment system is standard, and Cadillac says the materials and quality of the ELR’s interior will set new standards for the automaker.
Charging the ELR will take about 4.5 hours using a dedicated 240V outlet, or 12 hours using a standard 120V outlet, according to Cadillac. Though the company declined to discuss pricing, expect the ELR to land between $60,000 and $70,000 when it goes on sale in early 2014.
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Ski season is in full swing and while skiers and snowboarders are out there shredding the gnar, ski resorts are still plagued by inherent high traffic and slope condition issues. Participants have to wait in lift lines, stumble across those unexpectedly closed trails, and grudgingly pick their way down steep moguls on that run they could have sworn was listed as groomed. But what if there was a way to have on-demand resort information available right at your fingertips so you could avoid all of those things? Vail Resorts is launching Emma for next year’s ski season — the first-ever digital mountain assistant. Waiting in line at guest services for information will soon be a thing of the past.
While Siri unlocked the gateway to a new realm of instant information, Alexa took things at home to a whole new level, and now Emma is joining the ranks of artificial intelligence — for the mountainside. It’s an important time for ski resort technology — while Alpine Media Technology is installing digital screens into chairlift restraining bars, Vail Resorts introduces Emma, its epic mountain assistant. For the 2018-19 season, resort goers will be able to ask Emma a multitude of questions via text message — and receive immediate and correct responses.
Emma will provide information specifically for nine of Vail Resorts’ mountains – including Vail, Beaver Creek, Breckenridge, and Keystone in Colorado; Park City in Utah; Heavenly, Northstar, and Kirkwood in Tahoe, and Whistler Blackcomb in Canada. Emma will be able to answer questions tailored to each resort, including snow conditions, lift line wait times, wayfinding, ski school, lift tickets, and equipment rental options.
How does it work? Emma uses a combination of artificial intelligence and natural language processing to serve a wide range of guests on their individual ski vacations. Emma’s knowledge spans internal and external data sources and data accumulated by resort employees and mountain experts. And the more users utilize Emma, the smarter and more responsive she will get. If there’s a question Emma can’t answer, she’ll pass you on to a live agent for further assistance.
Emma will only be available in English to start, but the launch is just the beginning. You will be able to ask Emma questions anytime about any of the nine resorts from wherever you are in the United States or Canada — and Vail may expand Emma to serve the rest of its resorts. There is an alpha version of Emma that will be available this month to a limited number of users for testing.
After the launch, users will be able to reach Emma by text — no app download necessary.
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Visa has signed a discount agreement with Genesis Cinemas that will give mVisa customers access to exclusive movie ticket offers.
Speaking of the partnership, Olukemi Okusanya, Country Manager, Visa West Africa said: “This partnership is a part of our ongoing commitment to giving Visa customers benefits that are meaningful to their needs, passions and lifestyles. Since the launch of mVisa in July, we have partnered hundreds of merchants who are already receiving payments via the platform nationwide.”
He went on to say that as part of the partnership process, Visa is training new and existing merchants on how to receive payments via the QR codes, set up their apps, check for real-time notifications of payments and access to sales and transactions history.
He stated further that customers who purchase movie tickets using mVisa on Thursdays will pay as low as 300 Naira. There is also a 20 percent discount on all tickets purchased on any other day of the week.
The offer which is currently open to customers of Diamond Bank, Ecobank, Fidelity Bank, First Bank and Zenith Bank will end in November, 2017.
Access Bank and FCMB customers will enjoy the offer within the next few weeks.
We are in the final stage of launching mVisa withGTBank, Sterling Bank and UBA. This means that more and more merchants will join the ecosystem over the next few months,” Okusanya added.
mVisa is one of several initiatives that Visa has undertaken to accelerate the global migration from cash to digital commerce.


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Lady Gaga and Polaroid announced their new partnership today at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The instant-photography company named Lady Gaga its new creative director and “inventor of specialty products.” We’re going to guess being creative and inventing is the pop singer’s specialty—we’ve seen her music videos. The new Polaroid campaign promoting this partnership will feature Gaga in the company’s marketing ads and social networking channels. “The Haus of Gaga has been developing prototypes in the vein of fashion /technology /photography innovation – blending the iconic history of Polaroid and instant film with the digital era – and we are excited to collaborate on these ventures with the Polaroid brand,” Lady Gaga said in a statement.
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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) initiated over 1,000 safety-related recalls last year that affected over 21 million vehicles. On the plus side, that represents a six percent drop in recalls over calendar-year 2020’s figures.
Unfortunately, not all vehicles singled out for recalls will be brought back for what could be life-saving fixes. As it stands over 50 million vehicles continue to be driven with one or more known issues that have yet to be repaired, according to the title search company Carfax. NHTSA says this includes around 22 percent of vehicles that have been recalled since 2014 for having defective Takata airbag inflators that can explode under certain circumstances.
And that’s despite the fact that motorists can have any recall-related fixes made at no cost.
“We are heading in the right direction when it comes to the number of open recalls on the road, but the numbers remain incredibly high,” says Faisal Hasan, General Manager of Data at Carfax.
Carfax data shows that sedans and SUVs are the most likely types of vehicles to have unrepaired recalls. California leads the nation in this regard, with 5.6 million vehicles being driven with open recalls, followed closely by Texas at 5.1 million. Rounding out the top five states are Florida (3.1 million), New York (19 million), and Pennsylvania (1.8 million). Southern states have the highest percentages of open recalls, particularly Mississippi at 24 percent, followed by Texas and Louisiana, both at 23 percent.
Recalls are issued when vehicle owners, regulators, or manufacturers determine that a faulty component presents an unreasonable safety risk or fails to meet stated standards. Ford reportedly leads all automakers in the U.S. with the most recalls so far in 2022, including nearly 310,000 trucks for having faulty airbags. Other recent campaigns involve Nissan Frontier and Titan pickups, the Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee, and several Ford models that risk rolling away unexpectedly when parked.
The most common components to trigger safety-related recalls include passenger restraint systems, brakes, electronics, steering and suspension components, door latches, fuel pumps, and ignition switches. Not all recalls are to address major issues, however. Sometimes vehicles are called back for fixes as minor as changing a few pages in a vehicle’s owner’s manual that were either missing or contained erroneous information. On the other hand, in rare cases involving the most serious potential hazards, automakers can be required to repurchase an affected vehicle.
Whenever a safety-related recall is issued the automaker is required to contact every owner of record for that particular model by mail. However, it can be difficult or downright impossible for a manufacturer to contact second or third owners, which helps explain why older models typically have the highest percentages of uncorrected recalls.
Fortunately, NHTSA maintains a free searchable online database at nhtsa.gov that allows consumers to determine if cars they currently own – as well as those they’re considering buying in the resale market – are at risk because of uncorrected safety-related recalls. Owners will need to input their car or truck’s VIN (vehicle information number, found on the dashboard on the lower left side) to find out if it’s been recalled and for what reason(s).
Owners can also register their vehicles with NHTSA and be contacted automatically if a safety issue is discovered via the downloadable SaferCar app for Apple and Android smartphones. The app also enables motorists to submit complaints to NHTSA regarding possible safety problems with their vehicles.
Whether or not an official notice has been received, those driving a car that’s been recalled should contact a local dealership as soon as possible to set up a service appointment. Owners won’t be charged for recall-related repairs, though it may take some time to secure a service appointment to have a specified fix taken care of at a local dealership if a particularly large number of the brand’s models are affected.


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No one in the World Trade Organization is really in the mood to celebrate Russia's accession, including Russia itself. The country still does not really know whether or not joining the World Trade Organization is good or bad for its economy. And its trading partners can barely hide their disappointment over its membership.
"Russia is doing exactly the opposite of what it was supposed to do," said EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht in 2012. De Gucht's remark related to Russia's introduction of a recycling fee on imported cars, a move that the country took just days after joining the WTO.
At the beginning of July 2013, Brussels lodged an official complaint with the WTO. Under current law, both parties have 60 days to settle the dispute. If Russia cannot strike a deal with the EU during this period, Brussels could ask the WTO to adjudicate. In that case, Moscow could be forced to change its rules or face trade sanctions.
In 1986, the former USSR sought observer status in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) organization, the predecessor to the WTO. Accession negotiations began officially in 1993. Russia needed 19 years to finally join the WTO, becoming the trade organization's 156th member.
"For years, Russia's political elite had no consensus on the WTO, with views varying widely," says Simon Evenett, an economics professor at the University of St. Gallen in Switzerland." And the accession process was either accelerated or slowed down depending on who was in power."
In addition, negotiations with the WTO are not a one-sided process in which an acceding nation must accept WTO rules for the long term. "In Russia's case, WTO rules on intellectual property rights and on recognizing the WTO as the court were among the topics that prolonged the process," says Rainer Linder with the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations. Russia, he adds, had been reluctant to accept these and other provisions.
Car levies rile EU
One year after joining the WTO, Russia still appears to be on the outside. The country has taken advantage of various exemptions and transition periods. For 25 domestic industries, it has sought various measures to protect its own economic interests. But for many of its trading partners, those moves are a sore point and a source of growing conflict.
A battle is brewing in the auto industry, for instance. Although Russia has lowered duties on car imports since joining the WTO, the country has cleverly imposed a recycling fee on those imports aimed at compensating for the lower duties.
According to the EU, the fees range between 420 and 2,700 euros for new cars and between 2,600 and 17,200 euros for used cars. Those fees are disproportionately high, argue EU critics, pointing to the 37-euro recycling fee in the Netherlands.
Cars and car parts are among the main EU exports to Russia, accounting for about 10 billion euros in annual revenue. Since the introduction of the recycling fee in September 2012, EU exports have dropped by 7 percent - although the Russian car market is growing. German auto giant Volkswagen, for instance, reported a 5 percent drop in Russian sales in the first half of 2013.
"This is not WTO-compliant behavior," says Lindner. And Evenett also warns Russia. "The other WTO members expect Russia to play by the WTO rules," he says. "Russia needs to take this seriously because if it doesn't, many sanctions will follow." The EU complaint, he adds, is a warning signal.
The recycling fee on cars isn't the first incident that has caused a stir among Russia's trading partners. Because of a change in hygiene regulations, refrigerated meat from the EU, US and Canada can no longer be imported. As a result, pork exports to Russia from Germany dropped by one third in the first quarter of 2013. And that is just one example.
Russia has so far been able to dodge another fight. In mid-August, the country postponed new rules for cross-border truck traffic. The rules, which call for additional financial guarantees and truck escorts, will add to costs and bureaucracy, logistics companies argue.
Russia now plans to introduce the new laws on September 14. And when they take effect, lines of trucks at Russian borders will likely become a familiar view - as they were when Russia introduced special border controls in 2008.
According to the Russian public opinion research institute Levada, 59 percent of Russians polled in 2003 felt that joining the WTO was in Russia's interest. By 2012, only 44 percent felt this way.
Popular support is waning, although some experts say it is still too early to speculate on the consequences of accession after the first year. Three to five years are needed to determine long-term consequences, they argue.
In the long run, however, many experts see positive effects. "Russia will benefit from its accession to the WTO because it will accept the organization's principles of fairness, non-discrimination and transparency in its own rules and regulations," says economics professor Evenett. The country's economic environment, he adds, will also improve "from its domestic industry becoming more competitive."
This will take some time, though. Russia, experts agree, will inevitably have to adjust to WTO rules, and that could be an advantage for its trading partners. "The German economy alone would be relieved of about 1 billion euros as a result of the lower custom duties agreed with Russia as part of its accession package," says Lindner. "But, of course, this is only the case if the lowered duties on the one hand aren't replaced with protectionist measures on the other."
Russia is an important market for German products. From January through May 2013, German exports to Russia were up 1.3 percent compared with a year earlier.


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In the second half of 2013, Canon will announce several new wide-angle zoom lenses include the long awaited Canon EF 14-24mm f/2.8L USM.
The release date for EF 14-24mm f/2.8L could be in Q4 or sooner or later.
There also mentioned two other wide-angle zoom lenses to be replaced.
And the other is Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
There also a new wide-angle zoom lense EF 16-50mm f/4L IS USM in test and could be also announced.
Canon EF 14-24mm f/2.8L USM on Facebook


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Paris too a key centre; new group in Google will build new products and features and also make existing products work for emerging markets
Your smartphone will not only help you access offices and secure locations but will pay parking charges & buy sandwiches from the cafeteria too.
Similarities are beginning to show more prominently with both offering office productivity software, besides computer operating systems.
While still a student in New Zealand, Lohan set up OneBeep, a data communication company. He has now relocated to Bangalore to kick-start his second venture in the booming big data industry.
A year into his stint at Yahoo, Technology design guru Tim Parsey admits that the company needs to change - and change majorly.
Walmart Labs in India poaches Amazon's Gunaranjan Pemmarajugets as its Indian technology center head
Rajaraman said that Pemmaraju will hire a team to develop tecnologies that will "accelerate new generation of e-commerce for Walmart customers."
Last month, the screens showed that the Aadhaar number count was inching close to 120 million, about a fifth of the way to its target by 2014.
Google first rolled out its social search in October 2009 with real-time search results which would display results from other sources.
Few Indian languages thrive in the cyberspace due to slow pace of technology change that could have increased their use across multiple devices and medium.
- No blogs yet have been written by the author, we’re sure the author will contribute one soon


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Winn-Dixie starts tornado relief program
- Christian Conte , Staff writer
Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. Has launched a program to help victims in the tornado ravaged Southeast, according to a company press release.
Beginning April 30 customers can donate at any Winn-Dixie grocery store through the Neighbors Helping Neighbors program.
Donations will go directly to the American Red Cross and will help provide food, shelter and counseling in communities hit by the big storms this week.
Winn-Dixie (NASDAQ: WINN), of Jacksonville, operates 484 stores around the Southeast.
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After one year of anti COVID measures which prevented people from visiting big social, cultural and business events Czech Republic is opening the door for trade fairs and exhibition and international visitors again. Relatively good epidemiological situation in the country allows the restart of trade fair and congress events in the Brno Exhibition Center. “Trade fairs are a part of business life. If we want to be back in business as usual, we have to learn to live with certain measures for some time”, comments Mr. Jiří Kuliš, CEO of Brno Trade Fairs Co.
New rules for visitors and exhibitors
The basic rule is the proof of immunity of all show attendees based on the pre-condition of having been vaccinated, recovered from the Covid diseas, or tested. Visitors and exhibitors at the exhibition center must prove immunity upon entry. The same applies to the operating staff. Further safety measures as respiratory protection in accordance with current regulations or social distancing are in place. Aisles in exhibition halls and resting areas will be increased a few meters, disinfection stands are common. Conference rooms are disinfected before and after the event.
A recent survey among visitors and exhibitors confirmed that 80% of the trade fair participants see live presentations and face-to-face meetings at the trade fair as important for business and irreplaceable through online formats. The fashion fairs STYL and KABO open the new trade fair season on August 21st. The ANIMALTECH with the National Livestock Show will be staged in early September, followed by the World Dog Show. The professional defense and security fairs IDET, PYROS and ISET will take place in early October, while they confirm great interest of exhibitors.
Preparations for this year's International Engineering Fair, which has been postponed to the beginning of November, are in full swing. The main topic will once again be the digitization and automation of industrial processes. The fair will also focus on the field of 3D printing. For potential exhibitors who are geographically distant and have difficulty in travelling to Europe, the Brno Exhibition Center offers the option of hybrid exhibition booth with an online connection.
Prepared by the team of CzechTrade Jakarta


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Apple CEO Tim Cook will share a coffee date with the person to bid the highest in an auction, with all the proceeds going to a good cause.
The auction, which ends on May 14, is for the celebrity focused goodwill organization CharityBuzz. All proceeds from the auction will go to the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights.
According to the legal terms of the auction, the winner can be accompanied by the person of their choice and will have 30 minutes to an hour with Cook. At no time will the winner be able to take pictures, record the conversation, or post about it online. Not posting online, according to the legal terms includes, blogging, social networks, and talking to any press outlets about the experience. The winner will be asked sign a non-disclosure agreement upon arriving at Apple.
Travel and hotel costs won’t be covered by the winning bid. As of 9:00am EST, after 52 rounds, the highest bid for the coffee date was $180,000.
Tim Cook was recruited by Steve Jobs in 1998. At that time his job was to streamline the company’s manufacturing and supplies process to increase margins and help bring Apple back to profitability. Eleven years later, Cook was promoted to Chief Operations Officer and served two brief stints as Chief Executive Officer while then Apple CEO Steve Jobs was being treated for health issues. When Jobs was forced to resign in August of 2011, the CEO position went to Cook.
Since taking over the top job at Apple, Tim Cook has repeatedly sought to make the company his own by incorporating the ideas of Apple being a better world citizen into its DNA. When Apple came under increased scrutiny for the way workers manufacturing its iPhone and iPad lines, Tim Cook himself personally took a trip to the factories in question to inspect the work that was being done in Apple’s name – something that his predecessor never did.
According to The Verge, at a Town Hall meeting in 2012, Tim Cook said that Apple had donated a total of $50 million split between an area children’s hospital and Stanford University’s main hospital. It’s believed that under Steve Jobs, Apple’s policy was to maximize shareholder value, and then let those shareholders give what they’d like to charitable causes.
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Walmart Plans to Open New Convenience Stores in Texas
DALLAS, TX - It looks like everything isn’t always bigger in Texas, or at least, not for Walmart. The retail giant is downsizing in its latest venture and testing a smaller format convenience store, dubbed the “Walmart Fuel Station.” After opening a few locations last year, Walmart is expanding its c-store test to include more locations in Texas this year, according to a report by Dallas Business Journal.
“It’s another piece of our efforts with online deliveries and curbside pickup towers. It’s all about choices. It is another way Walmart is offering our customers choice and convenience that save time,” said Anne Hatfield, Walmart’s Director of Communications for Texas. “We often test new services and concepts in Dallas-Fort Worth. Dallas is a great market for us and a very important market.”
After the success of its c-store in Crowley, Texas, Hatfield noted Walmart opened a 2,900-square-foot convenience store last week in Plano, Texas, and expects to open three more locations in Arlington, Lake Worth, and The Colony, Texas, later this year. The retailer is also eyeing Avon, Ohio, as another hot spot.
All locations feature fruits, snacks, lunch options, doughnuts, coffee stations, and a variety of deli items and currently only exist in Walmart Supercenter parking lots that didn’t already have gasoline pumps. No freestanding locations are planned for now as Hatfield emphasizes the c-stores are still in testing stages.
Will Walmart test success and expand its c-store format across the nation to rival Target and other retail competitors? Stick with us as we follow all retail developments.


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United States Investigates Child Labor in Ivory Coast Cocoa Supply Chains
U.S. customs authorities have asked cocoa traders to report where and when they encounter child labor in their supply chains in top grower Ivory Coast, three industry sources said, following calls from American lawmakers to ban some imports.
Cocoa traders and chocolate companies including Mars, Hershey, Cargill and Barry Callebaut, have repeatedly missed internationally agreed targets for reducing the worst forms of child labor from supply lines in West Africa, all sides have acknowledged.
Pressure in the United States is now increasing after two senators asked the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) last July to use its authority to block the import of Ivorian cocoa produced with forced labor.
The CBP inquiry comes in the form of a 25-part questionnaire seen by Reuters and a request for various documents. It was sent this month to companies including Cargill, Barry Callebaut, Olam, Sucden and Ecom, according to the sources, who are from companies that received it.
CBP has “engaged with the cocoa industry to trace cocoa supply chains and understand industry internal controls and compliance regimes,” a CBP spokesperson told Reuters.
The text of the questionnaire seen by Reuters did not specify a deadline for a response.
According to Reuters, it was unable to determine what CBP plans to do with the information it gathers, but the spokesperson said the agency has the authority to block imports when information indicates they have been made with forced or indentured labor.
Even a partial blockage could inflict steep costs on suppliers, increase the price of chocolate and have a crippling effect on Ivory Coast exports which rely heavily on U.S. buyers.
“We believe that any U.S. ban on cocoa imports from (Ivory Coast) will hurt, not help,” said Richard Scobey, the head of the World Cocoa Foundation (WCF), an industry group. “It could push millions of poor farmers deeper into poverty, even though the vast majority of them are innocent of such practices.”
Olam referred Reuters to the WCF. Barry Callebaut said it aimed to eradicate child labor from its supply chain by 2025. Cargill said it had participated in meetings with CBP and submitted information about its supply chains. Representatives from Sucden and Ecom declined to comment.
Hershey said it had received a questionnaire from CBP that it had fully responded to, but Reuters was unable to ascertain whether it was the same one. Mars said it was working with CBP to provide any information the agency requested but did not say whether it had received a questionnaire.
About 2.1 million children work in cocoa in Ivory Coast and Ghana, the world’s number two producer, according to a report published in 2018 by international civil society groups.
But Scobey, the WCF president, said the use of forced child labor was rare in Ivory Coast’s cocoa sector.
He pointed to a study published by Tulane University in 2018. It estimated only 2,000 of the 1.2 million children working in Ivory Coast’s cocoa sector can be considered forced child laborers because the vast majority work on family farms.
The International Labour Organization’s definition of child labor includes only children forced to work by someone outside their families.
The CBP questionnaire requests maps with GPS coordinates for all suppliers, corrective plans for when child labor is identified, a list of all suppliers of imports into the United States from 2017-19 and audits by certification schemes.
In one part, it asks: “How many cases of the worst forms of child labour and/or forced labour have you detected in your supply chain? When did you detect them? How many have been resolved? When do you expect to resolve the outstanding cases?”
CBP says it acts on information concerning specific companies and products and “does not generally target entire product lines or industries in problematic countries”.
The U.S. imported over $600 million of cocoa beans and paste from Ivory Coast last year, more than half of total U.S. imports and around 15% of annual Ivorian exports of those products.
The multinational companies that received the questionnaire export about 90% of Ivory Coast’s cocoa.
Last year, CBP blocked gold from artisanal mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo and diamonds from the Marange Diamond Fields in Zimbabwe that it suspected of using forced labour.
- Ghana May Postpone Delivery of 250,000 MT of Cocoa Due to Shortage - April 12, 2024
- Ghana Cocoa Farmgate Price To Go Up By 50% - April 4, 2024
- More African Processors Shutdown As Cocoa Shortage Deepens - March 17, 2024


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Leading Australian fresh produce company Montague has revealed its plans to open office in China as part of efforts to expand its export operations.
Managing director, Scott Montague said the family-owned business is solidifying its presence in the key market and partnering with a firm that has been building the Montague brand in China for five years.
“There is a groundswell of acceptance for Australia’s clean, green produce in China, so we are keen to increase our investment by fulfilling the demand for our fruit,” said Montague.
The office is set to open in December 2021 as the Australian stonefruit season begins to ramp up. Stonefruit and apples have made up the bulk of the company’s export business for many years, but it is now striving to export more table grapes, citrus, and cherries off the back of arecent acquisition.
“By exporting citrus and table grapes, we can get our premium quality, Australian-grown products and brand in front of customers all year long,” said Montague.
“Austrade is also assisting us to branch out into new markets, such as Japan and Korea, and also Taiwan, where we hope to export stonefruit.”
“We already export some late-season plums to Canada but we believe there is potential to open up this country to our world-class table grapes, plums, peaches and nectarines.”
Servicing export markets has become more challenging since the onset of the Covid-19 due to significant supply chain disruption. However, Montague has been supported by the Australian government’s International Freight Assistance Mechanism (Ifam).
“Without Ifam ensuring that airlinks are kept open during the pandemic, airfreight would be virtually impossible for us,” said Montague.
“Airfreight delivery is over 50 per cent of our stonefruit export business. We also export stonefruit by sea to China, Canada, Malaysia and Singapore, and table grapes to China, Vietnam, Thailand, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
“Seafreight is significantly cheaper per carton than airfreight and is a viable option for us, as long as vessel schedules are maintained.”
To support its export expansion Montague has been developing fruit with flavour profiles to match Asian tastes.
“Investing in new varietals and genetic innovation allows us to differentiate our fruit, particularly for export. We do this through our branding. We have Croc Egg plums and Montague Tree for plums, nectarines, peaches, citrus and table grapes,” said Montague
“The stonefruit varietals are bigger, firmer, sweeter and crunchier than competitor products – which makes them more enjoyable to eat without the mess. Asian consumers prefer these varietals and associate our brand with these attributes.
“We have a clear strategy to expand our business for the future, both here in Australia, and internationally – and it’s starting to bear fruit.”
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The explosive growth in the electronics industry has taken the world by a storm leading to a growing issue of end-of-life electronics. Toxic materials from these electronic devices like lead, cadmium, mercury are released into landfills which in turn pollute the environment and threaten the spread of harmful diseases to human and animal life. If these items are misused, chances are they can cause organ damage, neurological damage, and severe illness not only in the workers that handle them directly but also the people living in these communities. Recent reports in January 2019 by the World Economic Forum (WEF) states that e-waste is the fastest-growing waste stream in the world, with an estimated waste stream of 48.5 million tonnes in 2018. Considering this, there is an immediate need to educate people about responsible electronics recycling programs which can ensure disposal or reuse of electronics in an environmentally friendly manner.
About 50,000 dump trucks worth of electronics are sent by Americans to the recyclers each year. Not just that, you would be surprised to know that the U.S. produces more e-waste than any country in the world. Harmful and toxic materials such as lead and mercury can harm the people and the environment. At Surplus Service, we are on a mission to make the planet a sustainable place to live for the current generation as well as preserve the natural resources for the future generation. Our team is dedicated to environmentally safe and responsible ways of dismantling and recycling of e-waste.
Old electronics will always remain resourceful in terms of valuable metals like gold and copper. If more organizations, companies, and individuals practice the safe disposal of electronic recycling, the next generation of smartphones can be made from their predecessors. This can, in turn, lead to the decreased need for mining precious metals and rather focus on conserving finite resources. Currently, the Japanese model of recycling is inspiring the rest of the world with its significant national recycling efforts. With its sophisticated recycling technology in place, Japan ensures that e-waste is done right. About 100 major electronic waste facilities are available in Japan, including small, local and operating facilities. The Law for the Promotion of Effective Utilization of Resources was passed in 2001, which requires manufacturers to recycle goods and reduce the generation of waste.
By 2020, the number of connected devices is projected to grow to 31 billion. Recycling companies and environmental scientists are working on developing innovative technologies and solutions through which e-waste can be reused, reduced or disposed of safely. Did you know that scientists have developed carbon nanotube technology to filter out extremely low concentrations of rare earth elements? Extraction costs for mining will decrease as soon as these technologies become more widespread.
Surplus Service is more than an electronic recycling company. We not only specialize in a variety of e-waste and surplus services, including ITAD, medical recycling, electronic liquidation but also reverse logistics and data eradication. Not just that, our team takes great effort to show personnel effective and efficient ways of reducing their carbon footprint with upcycling. Let’s take a pledge to educate people around us about responsible electronics recycling. Connect with us to know more.


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Along with announcing Forza Horizon 3 has sold through 2.5 million copies, Alan Hartman, Studio Head at Turn 10, announced that the Forza Franchise has exceeded $1 billion in retail sales.
Additionally, Alan said that over 3 million players are playing Forza monthly and commented on the Forza Racing Championship (the Forza eSports league). You can find additional information via the official post here: Forza Announcement
The stellar Forza franchise continues to grow and we couldn’t be happier for the teams involved. We’re especially excited to see Forza Motorsport 7 later this year which we assume will be shown during E3 to highlight the new Scorpio hardware.